Texas woman to be arraigned in fatal day care fire

Jessica Tata is escorted by U.S. Marshals to the Harris County Jail on Tuesday, March 22, 2011, in Houston. Tata, the owner of a Houston home day care where a fire last month killed four children, was returned to Texas from Nigeria to face charges. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Mayra Beltran) MANDATORY CREDIT
— AP

Jessica Tata is escorted by U.S. Marshals to the Harris County Jail on Tuesday, March 22, 2011, in Houston. Tata, the owner of a Houston home day care where a fire last month killed four children, was returned to Texas from Nigeria to face charges. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Mayra Beltran) MANDATORY CREDIT
/ AP

An undated photo provided Tuesday, March 22, 2011 by the Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office shows Jessica Tata. Tata, the owner of a Houston home day care where a fire last month killed four children, was returned to Houston, Texas from Nigeria to face charges early Tuesday after spending Monday in the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. Authorities believe she fled to the West African nation two days after the Feb. 24 fire, which also injured three children. Investigators believe Tata went shopping and left all seven children alone before a stove-top burner that was left on ignited the blaze. She has been charged with manslaughter, injury to a child and child abandonment. (AP Photo/Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office) .— AP

An undated photo provided Tuesday, March 22, 2011 by the Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office shows Jessica Tata. Tata, the owner of a Houston home day care where a fire last month killed four children, was returned to Houston, Texas from Nigeria to face charges early Tuesday after spending Monday in the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. Authorities believe she fled to the West African nation two days after the Feb. 24 fire, which also injured three children. Investigators believe Tata went shopping and left all seven children alone before a stove-top burner that was left on ignited the blaze. She has been charged with manslaughter, injury to a child and child abandonment. (AP Photo/Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office) .
/ AP

HOUSTON 
A Houston day care operator who was an international fugitive for nearly a month after a fire at her home killed four children was set to appear in court for the first time Wednesday since authorities returned her to the U.S.

Jessica Tata, 22, was set to be arraigned in state district court on 14 charges, including manslaughter. She is being held without bond in a Houston jail.

Earlier this week, authorities brought Tata back from Nigeria, where she had fled to two days after the Feb. 24 fire that also injured three other children in her care.

Investigators say Tata, who has U.S. and Nigerian citizenship, went shopping and left the seven children alone. When she returned, a stove-top burner had ignited the blaze.

Court records did not show Tata had an attorney. Her brother, Ron Tata, has not returned several phone calls this week from The Associated Press.

The U.S. Marshals Service, which headed the search for Tata, said a series of tips and other information helped Interpol agents to capture her on Saturday. Her family says she turned herself in.

Tata was returned to the U.S. early Monday morning. After a brief stop in Atlanta, she was escorted back to Houston late Monday evening.

While jailed, Tata will have a cell to herself for her own protection because of the high profile nature of her case and a deputy will also accompany her at all times when she is out of her cell, officials said.

Besides manslaughter, Tata has also been charged with injury to a child and child abandonment. The manslaughter and injury to a child charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Tata had been on the U.S. Marshals' list of the 15 most wanted fugitives, and the agency had offered a reward of up to $25,000. The agency said it has received some claims for the reward money and is working to determine their validity.